Comic joins Big Brother house

Sue Perkins has been named as one of the Celebrity Big Brother contestants - but the bookies don't think she's going to win.

The 33-year-old comedian entered the house last night with her luxury items: a guitar, 100 cigarettes and the Connect 4 game.

She joked: "I decided to do Celebrity Big Brother so people might finally realise which one's Mel and which one's Sue."

Her comedy partner Mel Giedroyc said: "I think she will come out in the top three. The fact is the longer she stays away, the better."

Bookmakers William Hill have Mel at 11-2 to win the competiton, the same as Goldie and Anne Diamond. Melinda Messenger and Les Dennis are 4-1 joint favourites, with former Take That member Mark Owen at 5-1

Meanwhile, Jack Dee, who won the last celebrity competition, has blasted the format as 'tired'.

He said: "I entered into it not having even watched the first series, rather stupidly, and assumed I'd just be able to read books and I'd be chucked out after two days and it would be fine.

"Now I just wish the whole phenomenon would curl up and die. It smacks of a tired format from a TV channel that's run out of ideas."

This year's contestants will be locked in the house in Elstree, Hertfordshire, for the next ten days - or until they are evicted.

Published: 20 Nov 2002